Thursday March 5th, 2015

Posted at 3:42pm

The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for achival purposes.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Josh Zike

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man who was attempted to walk across Lake St. Clair from Detroit to Toronto Thursday morning.

Officials say that around 9:30am, the lookout assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay spotted a man walking in the middle of frozen Lake St. Clair, about one and a half miles from Seaway Island.

The ice-rescue team aboard the cutter deployed on foot to check on the man. Upon reaching the man, the rescue team questioned the individual, treated the man for symptoms of hypothermia, and assisted him aboard the cutter.

The man was taken to the municipal pier in Algonac, where he was met by emergency medical service personnel and transferred to their care.

“Most of us joined the Coast Guard to protect life,” said Lt. Joshua Zike, commanding officer of the Neah Bay. “Our primary mission during the winter months is breaking ice to keep commercial traffic moving, but preserving life will always come first.”

They say that the man was not dressed appropriately for the conditions out on the lake, was not wearing any flotation gear and had no form of communication.